Page 39 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store
He let a hand wander to Hazel’s hip, letting his fingers slide along the skin above her waistband. Soft and warm. He traced further, over the soft curve of her stomach, the dip of her waist. His mouth was on hers again, the kiss deeper, more urgent. And the way Hazel had started squirming against him meant she felt it too, just as desperate. Just as––
‘Wait.’ The word combined with her hand clamped around his wrist, stopped him in his tracks. They were both breathing heavily and Hazel looked up at him with dark eyes. ‘Can anyone see us?’
Noah blinked. Right. They were outside on the damn beach and he was feeling her up. Or was about to, anyway. He looked up, glancing down the beach in either direction. Empty. He turned his grin back to Hazel.
‘Not a soul around.’ He dipped his head and kissed her again. Softly, repeatedly. Little kisses along her lips and jaw, to the place behind her ear where she smelled like coconut sunscreen. ‘But we can stop if you want to. Exhibitionism wasn’t part of the clue.’
She squirmed a little as he continued his way down her neck, her hands roving over his back now, the gentle scrap of her nails through his shirt doing more for him than they probably should.
‘I mean ... our clothes are still on ... so I don’t think we’re breaking any laws.’ Her words were interspersed with sighs and Noah couldn’t help but smile against her skin.
‘Very good point. HANSOF is a law-abiding endeavor.’
She started to laugh, but his hand had resumed activities under her shirt and her laugh dissolved into a soft groan. Her skin was warm and a little sticky from the sea air and Noah knew if he ran his tongue down her body she’d taste like salt. He wished he could see more of her, but he had to settle for the feel of her beneath his fingers.
He pushed up beneath her tank top and found the edge of her bra. It was soft cotton, with no padding to block the peak of her nipple. Hazel gasped when his thumb traced over the top of it. He grinned against her lips.
‘I’m starting to like the beach even more,’ she sighed as he cupped her breast, his thumb running back and forth over her nipple.
He huffed a laugh. ‘Yeah, you’re really getting the hang of it.’ He pushed up her bra and somehow having Hazel’s naked breast in his hand, even under the bulk of her sweatshirt was the most erotic moment of his life.
He groaned, pressing his forehead against her shoulder.
‘You okay?’ she asked, her voice breathy and tight.
‘Fine. Just trying not to come in my shorts.’
Her surprised laugh made him smile even though it was true. He was harder than hell and they both still had all their clothes on. He rolled her nipple between his fingers and she gasped, her body bowing toward his.
‘Noah,’ she groaned and he nearly lost it right then and there. How would he ever live his life normally after hearing Hazel Kelly groan his name? He really didn’t know, but he didn’t have time to think about that right now.
‘What do you want?’ he asked, brushing his lips against hers. He’d do anything. Strip down right here and take her on this beach blanket, despite his concerns about sand in unfortunate places and public indecency charges.
‘I want...’ She groaned a little in frustration, her hips moving on their own accord, rolling against his. She sighed. ‘We can’t.’
He looked down at her, her cheeks pink from desire. ‘Well ... we could...’ He took his hand from her breast and let it slide back down her stomach, pausing at the waistband of her shorts. ‘Let me make you come.’
Her eyes got impossibly wider. ‘Here? On the beach?’ She looked truly scandalized, but also like ... like she wanted to. And whether this was all part of her ‘live the last months of her twenties like a reckless teenager’ or not, Noah was here for it.
‘Yeah, here on the beach.’ He tore his gaze from Hazel’s to check up and down the beach again and saw no one. ‘Do you want to come, Hazel?’
Desire flared in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks deepening. She hesitated. ‘Okay.’
‘Okay? I’m going to need more enthusiastic consent than that,’ he said with a teasing grin, his fingers still running along the edge of her shorts.
She huffed. ‘Yes. Please. A big enthusiastic yes.’
He kissed the word from her lips and flicked open the button of her shorts with one hand. The zipper came down just as easily. He dipped his hand in, under her panties, not wasting any time. He was dying to know what color they were, but he could tell they were simple and cotton, no lace or frills and somehow this thrilled him even more. This wasn’t a hook-up. She wasn’t some girl he met at the bar.
His fingers brushed against her soft curls, dipping lower into the wet heat of her.
She bucked beneath him, her groan vibrating against his lips. ‘Holy crap, Noah.’
He stroked her, learning what she liked, letting her sighs and whimpers guide him. He kissed her, letting his tongue match the rhythm of his hand. He forced himself to stay in the moment, to not dwell on everything else he wanted to do to her, everywhere else he wanted to touch and taste.
Because right now, he had Hazel in his arms, whimpering his name as he circled his fingers faster, backing off and picking up again, until she was breathless.
‘Noah, please.’
